- £830m in funding for flood schemes for 2026/27 to improve protection for tens of thousands of homes and businesses – part of record investment of at least £10.5 billion between 2024-2036
- More than 600 schemes to receive funding across England, meaning better protection for tens of thousands of homes and businesses
- More than £260 million made available for managing, maintaining and repairing assets including for damage following Storms Goretti and Chandra
- £300 million for natural flood management over the next decade – the highest investment ever made
Tens of thousands of homes and businesses across England – including in Portsmouth – will benefit from strengthened protection against flooding thanks to a £830 million investment in new and upgraded flood defences.
More than 600 projects will be funded in 2026/27, improving protection for 29,000 homes and businesses, and helping communities manage the growing risks of flooding and coastal erosion.
The programme includes major flood barriers, strengthened embankments, beach management work and natural flood management schemes that slow water flow upstream — all helping shield communities from the increasingly severe weather experienced in recent winters.
In Portsmouth, a combined almost £10.5 million of this funding will be allocated towards repairs to Farlington Marshes embankment and a Southsea coastal flood and erosion risk management scheme.
Featuring major flood barriers and strengthened embankments along with beach management and natural flood management schemes which slow the flow of water upstream, the investment will help shield communities from the kind of extreme weather that has battered parts of the country in recent winters.
The funding is part of a £1.4 billion investment in flood defences in 2026/27 and sits within the largest flood resilience programme in England’s history, with at least £10.5 billion being invested between 2024 and 2036 to protect homes, businesses and critical infrastructure better.
Commenting, Stephen Morgan, MP for Portsmouth South, said:
“Flooding has caused real worry and disruption for families and businesses in Portsmouth and strengthening our local defences is absolutely essential.
The Southsea Coastal scheme, which has my full support, is making good progress. This further investment from the Labour Government will make a meaningful difference, helping to protect homes, support local businesses, and our community the security they deserve.
“I will continue working with the Environment Agency and local partners to ensure Portsmouth gets the resilient flood protection it needs for the future.”
Floods Minister Emma Hardy said:
“Flooding can turn lives upside down in a matter of hours, destroying homes, shutting down businesses and leaving communities facing months of heartbreak and recovery.
“This £1.4 billion investment will help protect tens of thousands of homes and businesses across the country and strengthen the defences families rely on when the worst happens.
“We’ve already stepped in to stabilise our flood assets after years of decline and this funding goes further, creating thousands of jobs, protecting communities from billions of pounds of damage and unlocking new homes and businesses in places made safer from flooding.”
